William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim

The Viscount Slim
Slim c. 1950
13th Governor-General of Australia
In office
8 May 1953 – 2 February 1960
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterRobert Menzies
Preceded bySir William McKell
Succeeded byThe Viscount Dunrossil
Personal details
Born(1891-08-06)6 August 1891
Bishopston, Bristol, England
Died14 December 1970(1970-12-14) (aged 79)
London, England
Resting placeMemorial plaque in St Paul's Cathedral
Spouse
Aileen Robertson
(m. 1926)
Children2nd Viscount Slim
Una Mary Slim
Alma materStaff College, Quetta
Nickname"Uncle Bill"
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
British Indian Army
Years of service1914–1952
RankField Marshal
Unit
Commands
Battles/wars
Awards

Field Marshal William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC, PC (6 August 1891 – 14 December 1970), usually known as Bill Slim,[1] was a British military commander and the 13th Governor-General of Australia.

Slim saw active service in both the First and Second World Wars and was wounded in action three times. During the Second World War he led the Fourteenth Army, the so-called "forgotten army" in the Burma campaign. After the war he became the first British officer who had served in the Indian Army to be appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff. From 1953 to 1959 he was Governor-General of Australia.

In the early 1930s, Slim also wrote novels, short stories, and other publications under the pen name Anthony Mills.

  1. ^ "No one called him William" (Hastings 2008, p. 68).